Kanarazu Aeru Yo
by Lady Tsukino
Summary: Usagi is your normal girl, leading normal life, but with a not so normal secret; one she doesn't even know about. What will happen when she finds out? Who are these Sailor Senshi? Who is Tuxedo Mask? And who exactly is this Sailor Moon?
1. They Meet

Yes, I'm back again, and with another new story. I promise, to all of you who have read my other stories, they will eventually be finished. This just needed to be started. So, enjoy, and here is chapter one of Ways of Life.

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not a single thing, except for the plot line. Please, please don't sue me.

"We need to find her," the blue clad woman said softly. "Without her, Tokyo will never be truly safe. We must find the leader, and the Princess."

The woman in orange nodded slightly, her face hidden behind a red mask, her long blonde hair held back in a red bow.

"I agree, Mercury," she commented idly. "Without the Princess, we're doomed."

Violet eyes narrowed, and the red suited soldier tapped her foot impatiently.

"Well, I think we've been doing just fine on our own," she snapped. "Who needs a whiny Princess and a leader for us? Haven't we been defending the place well enough?"

"Mars, you know that's not true," a gentle voice reprimanded her. "It's our duty to protect the Princess. We can't let her be hurt."

Mars nodded her head in a grudging acknowledgement.

"Well, Mercury? Do we know anything else right now?"

The blue haired warrior shook her head.

"All I can say for certain is that she's somewhere in this town. We're getting closer, guys; we just need to keep looking."

With that said, the four soldiers drifted off, fading away into the darkness as the sun began to rise over Tokyo.

"Bye, mom, I'm gonna be late for school!" A voice yelled, and then the sound of a door slamming was heard, and Ikuko Tsukino shook her head with a grin. Suddenly, a look of panic crossed her features, and she held up a brown paper bag.

"Usagi, wait! You forgot your…"

A blonde blur suddenly appeared in front of her, and within seconds the paper bag was out of her hands.

"I'd never forget my lunch!" Ikuko's daughter replied.

"Yes, I know," Ikuko replied wryly. "But now, if you don't get a move on, you _will_ be late for school."

Glancing at her watch, the girl shrieked and flew through the door, leaving her mother shaking her head, a grin on her face.

'That girl,' Ikuko thought. 'She'll never change.'

With a hum, she turned around and headed to the stairs.

"Shingo!" She called. "Time for school!"

'I'm late, I'm late, I'm late,' Tsukino Usagi chanted in her head as she made a mad dash down the sidewalk. 'Oh, Mrs. H is gonna kill me!' She groaned at the thought of her teacher, and increased her speed.

'I can't have detention again!' She wailed internally. 'Mom will flip! And dad… I don't even want to think what he's going to--' "Oomph!"

Rounding a corner, she collided with what seemed to be a large brick wall. With a small scream, she landed hard on the ground, and tears formed in her eyes.

"Ow, ow, ow," she muttered quietly, standing up and brushing off her uniform, and bending to gather her spilled book bag.

"Well, if you'd watch where you're going, maybe you wouldn't have run into me," the wall she'd run into drawled.

'Wait a minute,' Usagi thought, a frown on her face. 'Walls can't--' With a startled gasp, her eyes grew wide and she stood upright.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" She apologized. "I was late for school, and I didn't see you, and--'

Looking up, she came in contact with the most gorgeous pair of dark blue eyes she had ever seen in her entire life.

Set in a lightly tanned face, and framed with raven black hair, he was easily one of the handsomest men Usagi had ever come across.

'Much better than any Idol,' she mused lightly.

"Calm down, Odango Atama," the voice said coolly, interrupting and dashing any further nice thoughts that Usagi had been about to think. "No damage was done… at least, none to myself."

Usagi's cheeks puffed out in indignation, and she planted her hands on her waist.

"Excuse me? What did you just call me?" She demanded.

The boy, 'no, man' she corrected herself, smirked, looking down at her.

"You heard me, Odango," he replied.

"Why, you little--!" Her sentence was cut off as a bell suddenly began to toll, and her face dropped. "Now look what you made me do! I'm late to school, and it's all your fault!"

"My fault?" He raised his eyebrow in surprise. "If you hadn't run into me, none of this would have happened, and I could be safely on my way, and you on yours. But instead--"

"Instead _you _had to get in my way, and therefore, I am now late, and it is entirely your fault," Usagi finished for him, and bending down, picked up the last of her school books and dashed off, leaving a very stunned person behind her.

"That was interesting," Chiba Mamoru murmured to himself as he walked down the sidewalk, heading into the arcade, the incident with the blonde haired girl replaying over and over in his mind. "And yet, I feel like I know her from somewhere."

"Like you know who from somewhere?" The voice of his best friend, Furuhata Motoki asked.

"Mm. A little blonde haired girl," Mamoru replied, "with the weirdest hair style ever. Two little round balls on the top of her head like this" He balled his hands into fists and placed them on his head, one to either side, "and pigtails hanging down from them."

Motoki choked back a laugh.

"Ah, so you had a run in with the famous Tsukino Usagi, did you?"

"Oh, it was a run in, alright," Mamoru stated with a wry grin. "She ran directly into me. And do you know, she had the audacity to tell me it was my fault?"

Motoki's eyes widened, and be burst into laughter.

"U-Usagi told you… told you… Oh, Kami!" He sputtered, banging his fist against the counter top, tears of mirth running down his cheeks.

Mamoru glared at his so called best friend.

"It's not funny," he sulked. "She accused me of making her late to school, and ran off without so much as another word."

Slowly Motoki's laughter died down, and he managed a rueful grin towards the dark haired man.

"G-Gomen, Mamoru-san," he said apologetically. "That's Usagi for you."

"Mm. Usagi, eh?" Mamoru tested the name carefully on his tongue, a slow smile spreading over his face.

"But tell me, Mamoru, what did you say to her to make her act that way? The Usagi I know is sweet and caring; she'd never say something like that unless you purposely insulted her."

Mamoru smirked.

"I called her Odango Atama," he replied smugly.

Motoki's eyes widened in shock, and another fit of laughter over took him.

"You called her what?" He shrieked.

"That's right," Mamoru responded, a grin tugging at his lips. "I don't think she appreciated it too much, either."

Motoki shook his head, his shoulders heaving with laughter.

"N-No. She wouldn't, Mamoru. Her hair is her pride and joy, and she doesn't take kindly to people making fun of it. I wouldn't be surprised if she holds a grudge against you."

Mamoru's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Her? Holding a grudge against me for calling her a name? If anyone has the right to hold a grudge, it's _me_! She ran into me, Motoki! I could have been hurt by that whirlwind!"

"Hurt? By Usagi? Are you kidding me, Mamoru? That girl is so tiny she couldn't hurt a fly, much less you!" Motoki looked at him critically. "I'd say, any damage that came out of your run in was done to her, and not you."

Mamoru spluttered in disbelief.

"That girl is like a hurricane!" He shouted. "She could have hurt me! And if not me, it could have been someone else! What if she had run into a child at that speed? Or a little old lady? Or an animal? Or--"

"Well, it's a good thing she didn't, isn't it, Mamoru?" Motoki cut him off, his green eyes sparkling with amusement. "As it is, no damage was done, and everything is fine. Now, take your coffee, and get out of here. You're going to be late to class."

Looking down at his watch, Mamoru gaped in astonishment.

"Oh, Kami!" He cried. "I have ten minutes before I need to be there!"

Grabbing the cup of coffee from Motoki, he threw him a grateful smile.

"I'll be back at the usual time," he called over his shoulder as he headed to the door. "We'll continue this conversation later."

Motoki just shook his head in amusement.

"Ah, it's such a relief to be out of detention!" Usagi groaned slightly as she walked down the steps of the school, breathing in the fresh air.

"Usagi-chan!" A voice called, and instantly a smile spread over her face.

"Naru-chan!" Usagi called happily, running over to greet one of her best friends.

"So, how was detention?" Naru asked, a smile glittering across her face. "And what exactly made you so late this morning? You never told me."

Usagi's face grew dark at the thought.

"It was this intolerable man," she fumed. "I ran into him on my way to school, and when I apologized, he called me… he called me Odango Atama!" She finished.

Naru's eyes widened in shock.

"Oh, Usagi! I'm so sorry!" She cried. "What an ignorant, pig headed jerk!"

Usagi nodded her agreement.

"But let's not talk about him anymore. Anyways, I'm starving. Wanna stop by the arcade and pick up something to eat? I wanna talk to Motoki-onii-san, too. I haven't seen him in awhile, and I miss him."

Naru smiled knowingly.

"Ah, yes. You do have a crush on him, don't you, Usagi? You can't keep it from me!"

Usagi's cheeks flushed red and she shook her head frantically.

"No, no, no, Naru! I don't like him like that anymore. And besides, he's with Minako, remember? And they couldn't be happier. Speaking of which, we need to find Ami and Rei. They were supposed to be waiting for me right out here, and we were all going to go to the arcade." She frowned, looking around, until finally she caught sight of a petite, blue headed girl.

"Ami!" She called. "Ami, over here!"

The blue headed girl looked up, and a shy smile crossed her face as she shut the book she'd been reading, pulling her reading glasses from her face.

"Usagi-chan!" She exclaimed. "Where have you been? It's nearly four thirty," the genius reprimanded gently.

Usagi's face turned red, and she looked down.

"Gomen ne, Ami-chan. I had detention."

"Again?" Ami's eyebrow rose slightly, though her light blue eyes twinkled with amusement.

"It wasn't my fault this time!" Usagi exclaimed frantically. "It was this pig headed man's, and if he hadn't got in my way, I could have been here on time!"

Ami laughed.

"Don't worry about it, Usagi-chan. Rei, Makoto, and Minako headed over to the arcade already, so we'll meet them over there. Oh, hi, Naru-chan." Ami said.

"Hi ya, Ami-chan!" Naru replied with a friendly smile.

"Well, are you guys ready to go?" Usagi asked them, shouldering her book bag once more.

"Hai, Usagi-chan!" Ami and Naru replied as one, and together the three headed over to the arcade.

"You're late, Usagi."

Rei pushed back a piece of her long black hair, violet eyes narrowing at the blonde headed girl as she walked into the arcade.

Usagi glared right back, and stuck her tongue out.

"If it wasn't for an arrogant jerk, I wouldn't have been late, and wouldn't have gotten detention," she replied defensively.

"Oh really?" A voice asked from behind her, and she turned around, her breath catching in her throat as she made contact once more with those beautiful eyes.

"You!" She gasped out.

Well, there it is. The first chapter of this brand new story. Or those of you that have read my other ones, I promise, I'm still working on them. I just wanted to start this one; it popped into my head, and I decided that I had to get it down on paper, and I was just having so much with it, I couldn't stop! So, the other stories will continue; Truths of Love is coming to a close, and Cursed Flames is just beginning, so check them out if you want. This story will go on, too; I already have a plot in mind as to what is going to happen, so please, read on. Thanks for all your support! Questions and comments are gladly appreciated. Love to you all!

Lady Tsukino


	2. A fight and Questions

Well, here's chapter two. Hope you enjoy reading it, as much as I enjoy writing.

Chapter 2.

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything. You'd be suing for nothing.

"Yes, Odango, it's me," Mamoru replied idly. "Now, what's this I hear about some arrogant jerk?"

Usagi's eyes narrowed, and she nearly jumped from her seat.

"You. Are. Such. A. Jerk!" She cried in frustration. "What have I ever done to you that made you be so mean to me?"

"Well, let's see." He paused, and brought his hand up to lightly stroke his chin. "Maybe you, oh, I don't know, ran into me this morning?"

"It was an accident!" Usagi wailed, tears forming in her eyes. "I told you I was sorry! Why can't you just accept it and move on?"

Mamoru grinned.

"I would, Odango, but I like seeing you angry."

Looking over at who she was sitting with, his eyes widened in surprise, and he nodded in acknowledgement of the four girls he knew, and the one he didn't.

Usagi turned on her heel and stomped out of the arcade, fuming, her face a beet red.

"Eh, I'll go after her," Naru said quietly and stood up, hurrying after her friends departing back.

"Usagi!" She called out. "Usagi, wait up!"

…

Mamoru slid into the booth with the four girls left, looking at each one of them carefully.

"So. Is she the one?" He asked in a low voice, so as not to alert anyone else in the arcade.

Rei's eyes narrowed slightly, and she let out a low breath, sounding more like a hiss than anything else.

"We don't know," Ami admitted softly. "Luna hasn't been able to help us any, either."

"She seems familiar," Mamoru mused slightly, his forehead furrowed in thought. "Like I've met her before. But I just can't place where."

Minako nodded, her cornflower blue eyes thoughtful.

"That's what we all thought the first time we met her, too. Right?"

Makoto nodded in confirmation, with Ami and Rei only a second behind in agreeing.

"Well, then, maybe she is the one," Minako conceded softly. "But we'd need to run tests, and we couldn't do that without her becoming suspicious."

Rei nodded her head in agreement.

"Odango out there is suspicious of her own shadow," she snorted derisively.

"Hey, now, only I can call her Odango," Mamoru said suddenly, his eyes narrowing as a sense of protection filled him.

The girls raised their eyebrows in surprise at his behavior, and then Minako leaned forward, her eyes sparkling.

"Mamoru, you like her, don't you?" She smirked, her blonde head nodding in confirmation. "Yes, of course you do. I'm not the Goddess of Love for nothing."

Mamoru sweat dropped slightly, and shook his head, holding his hands up in denial.

"No, no, no," he protested quickly. Too quickly, in their opinions. "I don't know why I even said that. Forget it, alright?" His blue eyes scanned the girls sitting around him anxiously, terror filling him at the feral gleams in their eyes.

"Ahh, the prince likes someone," Makoto taunted, her eyes flashing with mirth.

Mamoru glared and crossed his arms.

"It's impossible, isn't it? After all, I'm Endymion, crown prince of Earth, and destined to fall in love with Princess Serenity, crown princess of the Moon Kingdom. As far as I can see, Tsukino Usagi is not the Moon Princess, and therefore I can't possibly love her, much less like her." Mamoru concluded his small speech with a nod, inexplicably pleased with himself for such deductive reasoning. After all, it did make sense, didn't it?

"Methinks thou doth protest too much," Minako stated, her eyes gleaming. "And, consider just for a minute, if you would, the possibility that Usagi is the Moon Princess. Then what would you do?"

Mamoru's eyebrows furrowed, and he shot a glare at the blonde haired goddess, earning himself a sunny smile.

"Then I suppose I wouldn't have a choice other to fall in love with her, would I?"

"Fall in love with whom?" A curious voice asked. "Besides, who would want you to love them, Baka?"

Mamoru's head whipped around to glare at the girl standing behind him, and he jumped to his feet.

"For your information, Odango, many girls would be thrilled to have me love them. I have girls throwing themselves at me left and right."

Usagi snorted with laughter, clutching at her stomach as she bent over in laughter.

"Those… those poor girls!" she crowed in between spurts of laughter. "They don't know what they're thinking. They've lost their minds!"

Mamoru glared and stomped out of the arcade, giving a small wave to the girls, and nodding his head to Motoki.

Usagi just laughed harder as she slid into the booth, shaking her head, and as her laughter finally died down, she looked into the bemused faces of her four friends.

"Wh-what?" she gasped out. "Was it something I said?"

"Usagi, maybe you should try being nicer to him," Ami said quietly, brushing a lock of blue hair from her eyes. "It wouldn't kill you, would it?"

Usagi's eyes narrowed.

"Be nice to that… that… creep? I don't think so. Besides, he's the one that started it. If he had just taken my apology instead of insulting me, maybe this would have been avoided."

Ami sighed, and Rei shook her head in obvious disapproval, while Minako grinned knowingly, and Makoto looked out the window, a dreamy look on her face.

"He looks just like my old boyfriend," she murmured softly, and the rest of the girls could only shake their heads in disbelief.

"Usagi, tell me, what do you think of the fairy tale of the Moon Princess?" Minako leaned forward in the seat, her eyes boring into the girl's seriously.

Usagi blinked, and then chuckled.

"Is this some kind of trick question?" she asked nervously.

Minako shook her head.

"No. Tell me what you think."

"Um, well," Usagi began, scratching the back of her head. "It's tragic, really. Princess Serenity falling in love with a man from Earth, a prince no less, and being forbidden to see him. And finally, when they were about to be together forever, the witch coming and tearing them apart? And then the queen sending the two of them, and the princess's protectors to earth, to the future, to start a new life… it sounds too good to be true. And yet… it sounds so familiar…" Her eyes darkened in thought, her eyebrows drawing together as she replayed the legend over and over in her head. "So familiar… Serenity… protectors… Selenity…mother…"

Minako's eyes widened in shock.

"What did you just say?" She demanded.

Usagi shook her head, her eyes clearing, and she flashed a bright smile.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "I was telling you what I thought of the fairy tale of the Moon Princess."

Minako looked at the other girls at the table, to find that they, too, had been shocked at what Usagi had said.

"What? Would someone please tell me what I said that's so fascinating?" Usagi begged, looking at each of them in turn.

"It's nothing," Rei said abruptly. "I have to go. I'll see you girls later."

Giving Minako, Ami, and Makoto a significant look, she turned around after bidding Usagi a final farewell.

"Oh, uh, yeah, I have to go, too," Makoto announced quickly, standing up. "Mom wants me to cook tonight, and if I don't start, dinner won't be ready. So, uh, see you girls later!"

Standing up, she left the arcade, heading in the same direction Rei had gone in.

Usagi frowned as she watched the brunette leave.

"Doesn't Makoto live in the other direction?" she asked in confusion.

"Um, if you go that way, there's a short cut that she just learned about," Minako improvised quickly as she stood up. "As for me, I have a photo shoot in the morning, so I need to get going as well."

"And I have a major test to study for," Ami put in softly, grabbing up her book bag.

"See you tomorrow, Usagi!" Minako chirped as she and Ami quickly exited the arcade, leaving Usagi in the booth alone, stunned.

"Was it something I said?" she muttered under her breath, and gathering up her backpack, she turned and left the arcade as well.

…

"So, what was that back at the arcade?" Minako asked.

"Indeed. Did anybody else hear Usagi say 'mother' after the name Selenity?" Makoto questioned.

"I did," Rei said.

"Me too," Ami replied softly.

"As did I," Minako confirmed.

"So, the question now is what do we do? How do we find out if Usagi is Princess Serenity? And if she is, then we still need to find Sailor Moon, and how are we supposed to do that?" Rei asked in frustration.

"Um…you guys…" Ami started quietly.

"What?" The other three asked in unison, turning on the short genius.

"Well… it's just that there's strong evidence that shows that where Sailor Moon is, Sailor Princess Serenity is, too."

Silence followed this statement, broken only after a long pause by Minako.

"So you mean that… if we find Sailor Moon… we find the Princess?"

"And that means… if Usagi is Princess Serenity… she's Sailor Moon, also?"

Ami nodded her head slightly, typing a few things into her computer. "That's what the computer tells me, anyways. But, as you know, there's only a ninety nine point seven chance that it's accurate!"

The girls glared at Ami, and she blushed, looking away quickly.

"But how do we find out whether Usagi is Sailor Moon, and the Princess as well?" Makoto mused.

"I think it's time we consulted with Luna," Minako proposed, a gleam entering her eyes.

…

There it is, the second chapter. I hope you're all enjoying it! Much love to those who have reviewed; for those who haven't, please, please review. I want your input on how to make this better. Thanks, and good night!

Lady Tsukino


	3. The first test

Chapter 3.

Disclaimer: I'm sick of writing these. I. Own. Nothing. There, we're done. No more disclaimers, 'kay?

"So you see, Luna, we need your help," Minako finished, her voice raw from the few hours of talking she'd done, explaining the situation.

"Ah. So it would seem that she's been found after all," a soft voice said from the middle of the circle of girls.

Ami nodded, her pretty face intense as she looked at the owner of the voice.

"Luna, we need you to do something in order to find out whether she is who we think she is. Can you do it?" Ami asked in her quiet, serious voice.

The speaker made a sound in the affirmative, and the girls let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Wonderful. The sooner the better," Makoto declared, cupping one hand and making a fist with the other, which she slammed into the cupped hand.

"I agree," the voice said. "Her test will be tomorrow. By this time on Friday… we'll know if she's the one."

Nodding the four girls and the speaker stood, and each left in their own direction, anticipation of what would come the next day filling each one's thoughts.

…

"Bye, mom!" Usagi called, rushing down the stairs, her hair flying in twin streamers behind her. "I'll be late tonight; I'm stopping at the arcade after school to talk to Motoki-san!"

"Good bye, dear," Ikuko said with a fond smile, holding a lunch out to the rushing girl. "Have a good day, and try not to be late."

Usagi nodded and grabbing her lunch, raced out the door, her normal mantra of 'go, go, go' racing through her head.

Rounding a corner, she slowed her speed down, thoughts of a certain ebony haired man filling her head, and with a grimace, she stopped, just in time to avoid running into said person.

"Think of the devil, and he will appear," she muttered under her breath, just low enough so that he barely heard her.

"Wow, Odango, nice going, you didn't run into me," Mamoru stated with a cheeky grin.

Rolling her eyes, Usagi made to move past him, and blinked when he stepped into her way.

"Um, excuse me, baka, I have to get going; I'm going to be late for school," Usagi said as politely as she could.

Mamoru's eyebrows rose in surprise, but instead of moving, he held his ground.

Cursing under her breath, Usagi again made to move around him, and again was blocked when Mamoru moved into her path.

"_What_ do you think you're _doing_?" she screeched. "Get out of my way, baka, I don't want to be late to school!"

Mamoru smirked, and after a minute of staring down at the blonde, he moved out of the way.

"Sorry, Odango, I don't know what came out of me," he murmured. "Please, be on your way."

Glaring at the man, she hurried past him, only to trip over something walking in front of her. With a shriek, she fell to the ground, landing hard on her backside.

Mamoru smirked, holding back a laugh.

"Nice going, Odango," he commented. "Just can't keep off the ground, can you?"

Usagi looked up, tears filling her eyes, tell tale signs of an oncoming wailing.

"Why are you so mean to me, Mamoru-baka?" she burst out, tears falling from her eyes.

"Eh," Mamoru sweat dropped, rushing to comfort the girl. "I'm s-sorry." He nearly choked on the word as it came from between his lips, but it seemed to work, as the wailing seemed to subside.

"Really?" Usagi sniffed, looking up at him with watery blue eyes.

Gulping, Mamoru nodded. "Now, let's see what you tripped over, shall we?"

Looking down, Usagi saw a small black form lying on its side, and immediately she shrieked in horror.

"Oh, Kami, I've killed it!" she cried in horror. "I'm such a bad person!"

"Odango, Odango! Usagi!" Mamoru snapped. "Look. Its sides are moving; it's still alive. You didn't kill it."

Looking closely, Usagi saw the truth in Mamoru's words; the sides of the animal were moving up and down in a regular breathing pattern. Letting out a sigh of relief, she bent over the form and picked it up.

"Oh, the poor thing," she breathed softly, looking at the cat that she now held. "It looks sick! And look… a bandage on its forehead!"

Blinking, she reached down to pull the bandage off when suddenly, the cat's eyes sprang open, and with a hiss it jumped from her arms, but not before raking a claw across her face.

With a shriek, Usagi took a step back, her hands clutching at her face, where a single claw had cut her.

Mamoru gaped at the whole scene, his mouth hanging open in astonishment.

'That's… Luna!' He thought to himself in astonishment. 'What is she doing to Usagi?'

Looking at the girl, his mouth snapped shut, and he walked up to the girl where she stood whimpering.

"Let me see, Usagi," he commanded. "We need to wash off that cut, and get it bandaged u--"

His words cut off as she pulled her hand away from her forehead, and his eyes widened in astonishment. There, on her forehead, where the single claw had caught her, was a scratch in the shape of a crescent moon.

"Mamoru?" Usagi whimpered. "It stings. Does it look really bad? You're not saying anything. Did I get rabies, is it infected? Am I going to die?" Her last word ended on a wail.

Shaking his head and trying to regain a neutral expression, he leaned down to her.

"No, Usagi, you're going to be fine. We just need to get it washed up and bandaged, alright? Let's just stop in that restaurant across the street and get some napkins, and we'll have it cleaned in no time, alright?"

Usagi looked up at him with big, blue eyes, a hopeful expression lingering in them.

"You called me Usagi. Does this mean you'll stop calling me Odango?" she asked.

Mamoru smirked and brought a hand up to ruffle her hair.

"Not a chance. You'll always be Odango to me." With a wink, he led her into the restaurant.

…

Ten minutes later, Usagi rushed out of the restaurant, her forehead freshly cleaned and bandaged by the expert care of Mamoru.

"Arigato, Mamoru-baka!" She called over her shoulder. "I have to go now; Mrs. H is gonna kill me!"

With a squeak, she bolted, leaving Mamoru behind, shaking his head with a rueful smile on his face.

'That girl,' he mused. 'She's something else. And that scar on her forehead! Was that coincidental, or did Luna do that to her on purpose?' With a sigh, he shook his head to clear it of the unwanted thoughts. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he began whistling a tuneless melody as he walked away.

…

"Well thank you for joining us, Ms. Tsukino," Mrs. Haruna remarked snidely as the girl skidded into the classroom.

Usagi threw a faint smile as she rushed to her seat sinking down into it, her face a dark red.

"G-gomen, Mrs. H. I got held up, and then--"

"Save it, Tsukino, you have detention, as usual." Mrs. H cut in, a smirk on her face.

Groaning, Usagi tried to sink further into her seat, but as soon as the teacher's attention was elsewhere, she reached into her bag to pull out her history book, and looking over discreetly at the book on the person's desk beside her, opened her book to that page and settled back for a long and boring day.

…

"Usagi, what happened to your forehead?" Ami asked the girl as they walked down the hall to the doors heading outside.

"Oh, this?" Raising a hand to her head, Usagi gave a dry chuckle. "I picked up a cat, and I guess it didn't like me. One minute, it was unconscious, the next, it was trying to kill me."

Ami giggled slightly as the two met up with Rei, Minako and Makoto, sitting outside on one of the lunch benches.

"So, how bad is it?" she asked sympathetically.

"Oh, not too bad; at least, Mamoru said it wasn't," Usagi responded idly.

"You talked to Mamoru, and didn't bicker?" Rei asked, her eyes widening in shock.

"Well, actually, it was his fault that I tripped over the cat in the first place," Usagi grumbled, picking lightly at her food. "He refused to get out of my way, and when he finally did, BOOM! I tripped over a cat, and when bending to pick it up, it did THIS to me." She pointed to the bandage of her forehead in indignation.

There was silence at the table, and then everyone, even Ami, burst into gales of laughter.

"A cat tried to kill you?" Makoto asked incredulously. "I can't believe it!"

"That's what you get, Odango!" Rei crowed triumphantly.

"It's not _funny_!" Usagi cried, her eyes welling with tears.

"Well, you have to admit, Usagi-chan, it is kind of amusing," Ami put in with a gentle smile.

"Oh really? Well is _this_ funny? I'm going to have to live with it for the rest of my life!" With those words, she reached up and yanked the bandage off of her forehead, revealing the shape of the crescent moon on her forehead.

Immediately, all the laughter stopped. Minako, Makoto, Ami, and Rei all looked at each other, their eyes wide in shocked disbelief, jaws dropped.

"That's what I thought," Usagi pouted, and quickly pulled a new bandage from her pocket, with the other hand reaching up to feel where the new scar was, and placing the bandage over it.

"Um, Usagi," Ami started slowly. "That's not…"

Suddenly, Usagi's eyes widened, and for a moment, flashes ran through her head: herself in a billowy, gorgeous white dress; at a masked ball, dancing with a tall, handsome man with black hair; later on with the same man, but without his mask, though she couldn't see his face. Then, as quickly as the images came, they left.

Usagi sat back, gasping for breath, looking at each of her friends with large eyes.

Minako looked at the girl, curiosity shining in her eyes.

"Usagi, what is it?" she asked, eagerness laced through her voice.

For a moment, Usagi stayed exactly as she was, her eyes wide, staring, and then, in a snap, she shook her head and her eyes went back to normal, and she smiled brightly.

"I'm sorry, what were we talking about?" she asked, her tone light.

Ami, Makoto, Minako, and Rei exchanged looks, with Usagi oblivious to the whole exchange.

Checking her watch, Usagi let out a small shriek.

"Oh, Kami, I'm gonna be late!" she cried. "Mom's gonna kill me; sorry, guys, I have to run. See ya later!" And with that said, she dashed off,

Ami let out a small sigh, and each of the other girls rolled their eyes.

"So, now what do we do?" Rei asked.

"We leave everything to Luna," Minako declared, her tone ringing with authority.

Makoto and Ami nodded their heads in agreement with the temporary leader.

"We have to trust what Luna is doing. I'm sure it's no coincidence that Usagi tripped over her this morning; and there can't be any other explanation for that mark on her forehead, either. It's a test, and Luna's expecting something to come out of it." Ami said logically.

Rei sighed and nodded her head.

"Alright. We leave this in her hands, then," she concluded. "And now, I have to get back to the temple. I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"

With a chorus of farewells, Rei left the other three girls alone, and after a short time, the other three left as well, heading in their own directions, unaware, but expectant, of the things that would take place in the very near future.

…

Well, there it is; chapter three. You know the drill, read and review. I was kind of iffy with this chapter; I wasn't sure how I wanted it to turn out. If any of you have suggestions, please, please, PLEASE send them to me, either through reviews, or just to my e-mail address, . Thanks so much, and have a good day!

Lady Tsukino


	4. Memories

Chapter 4

Usagi ran through the front door of her house, throwing her bookbag to the ground and thumping quickly up the stairs as she dashed to her room, slamming the door shut behind her.

"Usagi!" Ikuko called, her voice muffled by the girl's closed door. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, mama, everything's fine!" Usagi yelled back as she moved about her room, before finally settling down on a chair in front of her vanity, and for the first time looking at her forehead. Slowly, carefully, she reached up and pulled the bandage away.

And gasped.

There, on her forehead, was a golden crescent moon, where there should have been an angry, red scratch.

Her eyes went wide, and suddenly, she was in a different time and place all together.

…

"_Princess!" A voice called. "Serenity, where are you? Your mother, the Queen, has been looking for you everywhere!"_

_The young blonde looked up, her blue eyes shining merrily as she heard the sound of the head senshi's voice. _

"_I'm in the rose garden, Minako!" She called, giggling slightly._

_Leaning down, she let one of her finger brush the soft, silky petal of one of her precious roses. _

'_Really,' she mused, 'it shouldn't be possible for something to be so beautiful.'_

"_There you are, Serenity!" Minako's cornflower blue eyes sparkled with amusement as she looked at the young princess, a fond smile on her face. "Her highness wants to talk to you. Something to do with the ball that's to be held tonight, I believe."_

_Serenity's face scrunched up, and she let out a very unprincess like snort. _

"_More balls," she muttered under her breath, twirling around and pacing down the path between the well tended rows of flowers. "That's all it is with her, now, more and more balls. 'You need to find a husband, Serenity,'" she mimicked, straightening her back and looking down her nose in a perfect imitation of her mother. "'After all, you'll be eighteen in a months time, and if you haven't found a husband, I'll be forced to choose for you.' Blah, blah, blah. Who needs it, Minako?" She shot her friend and guardian a pained look._

_Minako shook her head, her long blonde hair swishing about her, a rueful smile on her face._

"_That's not the way it is, and you know it, Serenity," she scolded gently. "Now come on. I promised your mother I'd find you, and she'll have my hide if I don't deliver you directly to her." _

"_Hai, Minako," she pouted, and throwing a last, wistful glance at her flowers, headed with the leader to the grand doors of the palace._

…

Usagi shook her head, her eyes wide, and glanced at the golden moon on her head once more, raising a hand to trace it hesitantly.

"Wh-what was that?" she asked aloud.

Suddenly, the moon on her forehead began to glow, and once more she was whisked off once again.

…

_It was the evening of the ball, and Serenity let out a breath, the air ruffling her blonde bangs slightly. She walked down the steps of the grand staircase, her face hidden behind a lovely white mask. White lace decorated the mask; small, shining rhinestones near the eyes. A large white feather rose from one corner of the mask, fluttering gently as she walked._

_The dress she wore was a masterpiece. Soft silk clung to each curve of her body, the bodice sewn with golden thread in small circles. The dress fell straight to the ground, and from beneath it, her dainty feet poked out, dressed in high heeled white shoes, open toed, with ribbons around the ankles, holding the shoe to her foot. White, elbow length gloves adorned her arms. Twin moon earrings hung from her ears, and around her neck a simple diamond necklace hung. Her blonde hair was pulled on top of her head, held in place with a diamond hair pin, small portions spilling over in soft curls. All in all, she was breath taking._

_Her sky blue eyes took in her surroundings, her mouth curving into a small smile as she watched couples dancing around the ballroom, a chandelier hung from the ceiling sending rainbows glancing off the moving bodies. It truly was a magnificent night._

"_Princess," a masculine voice spoke from near her elbow, startling her from her reveries. "Might I trouble you for a dance?"_

_Startled, Serenity spun around, a light gasp escaping her lips._

_Dressed in a formal tuxedo, complete with cape and top hat, and a plain white mask, the man was dashing, and Serenity felt weak at the knees as she nodded her head slightly. _

_Reaching out with a gloved hand, the man took her hand delicately, and led her into the twirling masses of people. _

_Her heart pounded fiercely in her chest as she danced with the man, held close to his chest. 'A rather nice, firm chest,' she thought to herself, and then blushed in shock. _

_"Something wrong, Princess?" the man asked her, his eyes shining gently with hidden emotion as he looked down on the girl in his arms. _

_Serenity shook her head, and let herself be led once more, pushing all thoughts away from her for the moment. _

_Finally, the dance ended, and the man pulled away, bending into a low bow, her hand still held in his. Lifting her hand up, the man placed a small kiss on the back of it, and smiled a lopsided smile that made Serenity's heart leap into her chest. _

_"You really are very graceful, Princess. And the tales of your beauty do you an injustice. You are far more beautiful than anyone could put into words. It was an honor to dance with you." _

_Serenity's gaze lowered to the floor, and for once she was glad of the mask that covered her face, shielding the blush which was currently flaming on her face. _

_"Thank you," she managed to murmur out, and raised her eyes to glance into the face of the man she had danced with. _

_With a smile, he tugged her hand, pulling her towards the balcony doors, and out onto the balcony. _

_Serenity let out a sigh as the cool night air washed over her, and her eyes closed, her head tipped back. _

_Suddenly, her back stiffened as a warm pair of lips covered her own, and her eyes flew open to look up into the man she had shared a dance with. Yet, somehow, it felt right, and so she didn't pull away, nor did she try to stop it. Instead, she returned the pressure of his lips, her eyes closing once more. Warm sensations fluttered around in her stomach as she wrapped her arms gently around him. _

_After what seemed like an eternity, but in all actuality couldn't have been more than a few moments, the pressure on her lips eased, and she opened her eyes once more to look up at him. Slowly, she reached her hands up, and took away his mask, and a gasp left her lips. _

_"I love you, Princess. I always have, and I always will." _

…

Usagi sat up with a gasp, her mind spinning back to the present tense. Looking in the mirror, the golden moon remained, and so she sat, her eyes closing again, and waited for more images to come flashing into her mind. When a few minutes had passed, with no more visions, she opened her eyes.

The crescent moon on her forehead remained golden.

Frowning, Usagi rubbed her hand over it.

"Odd," she murmured quietly, when suddenly, a knock came at her door, startling her.

"Usagi?" Ikuko asked, opening the door and sticking her head in. "Are you sure everything's alright?"

"Uh… yeah, mom, everything's fine," Usagi stuttered, searching frantically for something with which to cover her forehead. Her eyes alighted on the bandage, and she picked it up, quickly slapping it over her forehead once more, and turning her face to greet her mother.

"Sorry, I was just a little… uh… busy," she lied, forcing a sunny smile on her face.

"I see," her mother said, a suspicious frown on her face, before her eyes landed on her daughter's forehead. "Oh! Usagi! Are you alright? What happened?"

"I'm fine, mom," Usagi replied. "I just got scratched by a cat, that's all."

"Oh, dear! Let me see; it might be infected." Moving forward, Ikuko reached out to remove the bandage.

Squeaking, Usagi moved out of her mother's reach, shaking her head forcefully. "Ah, no, that's alright. Really, Mamoru-chan was there when it happened, and he cleaned and bandaged it up. He, ah… he said not to take the bandage off until tomorrow morning, when I am to put a fresh one on! So… you can't take it off, or it will get infected, see?" Usagi said, desperation lacing her voice.

Ikuko's eyebrows raised in surprise, but she nodded her head and backed up, slightly perturbed by her daughter's strange behavior.

"Alright, Usa. I just wanted to let you know that dinner will be ready soon."

Usagi nodded her head, a light smile on her face.

"Alright, I'll be down in a bit. I…ah…need to call Naru to talk to her about…ah…doing something tomorrow."

The lie was blatant, and Usagi knew it, and more importantly, she knew her mother knew it. Nonetheless, she watched as her mother backed out the door, shutting it with a soft '_click_.'

Letting out a sigh, Usagi let herself relax with a slight moan.

"That was close," she muttered to herself, raising a hand to rub lightly at the mark on her forehead. "I need to call the girls. Maybe they'll know what's going on… and maybe they'll be able to tell me who Serenity is."

…

Well, there it is; the next chapter. I don't know if this is too confusing, or if it doesn't work at all, but I liked it, and I was proud of it, so here it is. I hope you enjoy it!

Lady Tsukino.


End file.
